Method of indexing books



(No Model.)

W. M. LESTER.

METHOD OF INDBXING BOOKS. No. 404,294. Patented May Z8, 1889.

UNITED STATES l PATENT OEEICE.

VILLIAM M. LESTER, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF INDEXING BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,294, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed January 26, 1889.

To all whom tm/ay concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. LESTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hamp-v den and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Indexing Books, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved method of indexing books, the object thereof being to enable a mostready and speedy finding of the subject-matter therein contained; and the invention consists, essentially, in delineating or otherwise indicating on the edges of the leaves marks or plain iigures or forms having widths corresponding to the combined Widths of a number of leaves embracing a given subject-matter of the book, whereby the positionof the subject-matter is indicated without opening the book.

The invention further Aconsists in subdividing the above-mentioned figures or forms, whereby the positions in the book of subdivisions of the subject-matters may be readily ascertained; and the invention still further consists in indicating by symbols marked on the edge of the. book on or near to said configurations and subdivisions thereof, to identify or determine to which subject-matter or subdivision thereof the configuration or its subdivision relates. l

In the drawings the method of. indexing books in accordance with this invention is illustrated, and Figure l is a perspective view of the edge portion of a book having an index of its sub ject-matter marked on its edge. Fig. 2 is a diagram view, to be hereinafter re# ferred to. Fig. 3 is a view in detail, to be hereinafter particularly referred to.

The index here particularly illustrated is designed for and applied on a commercialagency reference-book, and the rectangular configurations a, printed or stenciled on the edge b of the leaves, extend by their widths across different divisions of the subject-matter thereof. For instance, all the leaves of the book comprised within the width of the particular square x are devoted to ratings of iirms, &c., in the State of Connecticut, and by the abbreviation Conn the particular Serial No. 297,673.' (No model.)

square is identified with regard to the subjectmatter covered thereby. The rectangular or otherwise formed coniigurations are preferably to be arranged diagonally across the edge of the book, as shown in Fig. l, in one line, whose range from end to end of the book traverses the combined width of all the pages thereof.

`Where the book is comparatively short, as in duodecimo volumes, and with a desirable height for the indicating-rectangles, the length of the book would be occupied thereby before the width of the book had been traversed. The said configurations may be made in two or more diagonal lines, as seen in Fig. 2, one thereof commencing at the top left-hand edge of the book-leaves and running to the bottom thereof at the center of their combined widths, including, say, subject-matters from A to M, and then commencing at the middle portion and running to the lower right-hand part of the edge, including the remaining subjectmatters of the book, and, again, the configurations may obviously be disposed in other arrangements.

The configuration covering a given division of subject-matter, to the end of indicating the position in the book of a subdivision thereof, may have a subdividing-mark, as the smaller rectangles, d, at its borders, covering so much of its width as will correspond to the combined width of pages containing the subdivision of the subject-matter, and such rectangles may have words or other symbols placed on or near them, as seen at f, by which to identify the subdividing index-marks. Thus whilethe rectangle proper, against which N. Y. is placed, indicates that the pages covered thereby are all devoted to ratings for firms, &c., in the State of New York, the pages covered by theV rectangle embraein g an intermediate portion of the width of said rectangle proper are devoted to ratings for New York city.

The employment of the improved index on a conimerciahagency reference-book is merely by way of illustration, the same being no more applicable to such books than others, and may be applied as well to directories, dictionaries, digests, &c. The indicating-con- IOO ignrations may be applied in various Ways on the edges of the leaves, as by steneilin g or printing, and they may each be of a tint or solid color or may be formed in outline, and in some instances the identifying Words or symbols may be placed within such outlines, and in Fig. 3 such latter form of index is shown, being applicable Where few subjectmatters are comprised in a book, it being possible, therefore, to make each configuration larger.

lVhat I claim as my invention is l. The improved method of indexing books herein described, the same consisting in indicating by delineating or otherwise marking on the combined edges of the leaves configurations having Widths corresponding to the combined widths of the leaves comprising the subject-matters of the book, substantially as described.

2. Theimproved method of indexing books herein described, the same consisting in indicating by delineating or otherwise markin on the combined edges of the leaves congnrations having Widths corresponding to the combined Widths of the leaves comprising the subj ect-matters of the books, and in marking symbols on the edges of the book on or near said coniignrations to identify the subjectmatters, substantially as described.

3. Theimproved method of indexing books herein described, the same consisting in indicating by delineating or otherwise marking on the combined edges of the leaves configurations having Widths corresponding to the combined widths of the leaves comprising the subjeet-1natte1s of the book, and in indicating subdivisions of the widths of any or all of said congurations to determine the subdivisions oi' the subject-matters indicated thereby, substantially as and for the purpose described.

XVILLIAM M. LESTER. lVitnesses:

WM. S. BELLows, G. M. CIMMBERLAIN. 

